1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of treatment of a subject infected with psoriasis.
2. Description of the Background
Psoriasis is a chronic disease of unclear pathogenesis, affecting skin and joints in ˜2% of the population in developed countries. The disease causes significant morbidity. Some of its main characteristics are inflamed, scaly and frequently disfiguring skin lesions and arthritis of the joints in hands and feet. Typically, in the skin lesions, altered differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes accompanies keratinocyte hyperproliferation. Marked infiltrates of T-cells and neutrophils are characteristic of psoriatic skin and are directly involved in the inflammatory state of the affected tissue. In addition, a distinct increase in skin capillaries is a typical phenomenon in psoriasis1.
Psoriatic arthritis appears in 10-30% of patients. In addition, the disease causes psoriatic skin lesions which are very itchy and which can result in severe scratching and disfigurement. The various manifestations of the disease make it more than a dermatologic nuisance as it interferes with many daily activities of the afflicted. As a consequence the disease also causes considerable psychological morbidity in many patients.
Current therapy for psoriasis includes anti-inflammatory agents such as steroids, specific anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and agents acting as anti-autoimmune therapies. While several of these therapies provide relief, many have undesirable side effects and none provide a cure.